(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) China's crude oil imports rose 5.6 percent in August from a year earlier to 26.59 million tons, or 6.29 million barrels a day (bpd), government data showed Tuesday.
But imports fell 13.4 percent from a record high of 30.71 million tons (7.26 million bpd) in July, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.
Crude oil imports by the world's second-largest oil consumer in the January-August period grew 9.9 percent from the same period of 2014 to 6.66 million bpd.
Earlier this year, China began to allow local resource-starved refineries to import crude oil, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Qualified local refineries are allowed to import crude oil if they cut backward capacity or install natural gas storage facilities. Previously, China only allowed government-approved refineries to use imported crude oil in the past.
However, the emergence of unregistered refineries has led to upgrades in the refinery sector.
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